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It’s always a treat to hear new material from artists you grew up listening to. This is just the case for The Used fans. The Utah-based rockers just put out a new record, The Canyon, their first (of fresh content) since 2014. To celebrate, The Used set off on a fall tour with its first stop at The Masonic in San Francisco last Friday. And while spirits were high from The Canyon’s release, The Used put on a show that not only celebrated its new album, but also its fanbase. The band frequently broke the wall between artist and audience to provide a space where fans could fully immerse themselves in the music. They opened with “Take It Away,” a fast-paced and erratic screamer that had the crowd instantly rocking out. Following was “The Bird and the Worm,” whose sinister tones were accentuated by crimson lights. Frontman Bert McCracken showed off some gnarly onstage moves, from high kicks and jumps to taking total command of the floor. Guitarist Justin Shekoski, bassist Jeph Howard, and drummer …

When Broken Social Scene put out Hug of Thunder, its first album since 2010, every one of my social media news feeds exploded with excitement. The wait was well worth it, as unanimously expressed by fans and outlets from The New York Times to Pitchfork. Hug of Thunder recalls everything that is loved about Broken Social Scene. The album embodies feelings across every inch of the emotional spectrum, and expresses them all with musical ideas that make you feel on top of the world, while simultaneously tugging at your heartstrings. Adding to the list of things to gush about: Broken Social Scene is making its Bay Area return for the first time in six years! The Canadian super group will be playing at the Fox Theater in Oakland on October 26. To prepare for the epic performance to come, we’ve gathered some of our favorite tracks from all throughout the collective’s diverse catalog. Listen and find ticketing information below! 1. “Stay Happy,” Hug of Thunder (2017) Starting with ethereal hums that feel much like a Stars track, “Stay Happy” breaks into …

From flowers, to basketball, to the very specific trumpet musical notation “con sordino,” Deerhoof can make a song about anything and have it sound out-of-this-world good. The San Francisco experimental rock group played a hometown show at Great American Music Hall last Thursday, and it was high energy all-around. This was my first time catching Deerhoof live, but I know that they mix up their setlist every tour, now having 14 studio albums to choose from (their latest album Mountain Moves released just earlier this month). They kicked the night off with the banging two-minute track, “Flower,” which features call-and-response successions between spunky bassist-vocalist Satomi Matsuzaki and grungy breakdowns by guitarists John Dietrich and Ed Rodriguez and drummer Greg Saunier. They then broke into “I Will Spite Survive,” which starts with a new wave-esque guitar lick. Deerhoof’s upbeat, craftily chaotic sound transcends powerfully live, even with just one amp on stage. Their fans have no problem keeping up with the energy either, as depicted by permanent smiles and head nods that didn’t miss a beat. …

Before MEW’s last North American tour in 2015, U.S. fans waited at least six years for a chance to catch the Danish rock band in person. But Mew, whose music carries the same marvel and extravagance of a blue moon, is indubitably an experience worth waiting for. Luckily, it only took two years for Mew to return to the States this time around. They’ll be playing at The Fillmore in San Francisco on August 22. MONAKR will open the show. The tour rings in the band’s latest full-length, Visuals, which released last April. The album differs from Mew’s previous works in two ways: 1. It’s the fastest the band has put out a record (they hit the studio shortly after touring for +-), and 2. It’s self-produced. Despite tackling new territory, Mew’s knack for turning sound into magic holds up. With cosmic instrumentals and Jonas Bjerre’s ethereal vocals, Visuals feels like a dream sequence that finds beauty in even the most unsuspecting realities. Take the album’s first single, “Carry Me to Safety,” which seems to follow …

Warming up fans their hometown show this weekend, Green Day has launched a pop-up shop. The store is located at 1-2-3-4 Go Records! in Oakland. It is open for business August 3 and 4. The pop-up shop features exclusive merchandise like satin Rev Rad bomber jackets, skateboard decks, beanies, free cups of Oakland Coffee, and other cool finds.

Running into an ex-love isn’t always fun, but BEST EX is definitely a band you’ll want to catch. Formerly known as Candy Hearts, the New Jersey natives have been all over the alternative music scene. They’ve toured worldwide with bands like We Are The In Crowd and State Champs, and were also part of the 2015 Vans Warped Tour. The name change reflects a change in outlook for frontwoman Mariel Loveland, who wanted to break up with the emotions that drove the band’s original pop punk sound. Reimagining their style, they’ve now got an EP out on July 14 called Ice Cream Anti Social. Rich with synths and upbeat hooks, the latest release seems promising of feel-good jams that still carry some pop punk attitude. The debut single, “Girlfriend,” takes the topic of crushing on a taken friend and puts it with a danceable pop melody. “Part of me wants part of you / to do the things we should never do,” sings Loveland. “Someday,” the second single off the album, is a catchy reassurance …